Meet Opie, our 20-year-old cat. He is the son of KC (Kitty Cat), who found us 21 years ago on Thanksgiving weekend. She helped with the leaves in the yard and then moved in. We didn't realize how friendly KC was getting with the neighbor's cat until she started to get really fat. Uh oh. We gave away five kittens and kept Opie to give her company, much to her everlasting regret.
KC died last December. She was also 20 years old at the time. Opie has reached the same age in better shape, but he has been deaf for about a year and went blind a couple of months ago.
Since this house is the only world he's known, he has memorized the layout. He does pretty well, utilizing his whiskers whenever he encounters an obstacle.
We moved his food up from the basement. He's having a harder time with the stairs these days, although he still goes up to his perch at the top of the stairs. When he is there he's in the middle of the action, and he can feel our footfalls as we approach.
When he wants a drink, he climbs into the tub and sings loud and long. We turn on a dribble and pat him twice. That's the code for "Water's on, Your Highness."
He's getting thinner. We know his time with us is very limited now, so he gets lots of petting when he wanders near. Sophie will miss this small, odd dog that clearly does not know the first thing about playing.
10 comments:
Oh my!
the older jeep gets, the more when people ask, "how old is he?" do i skirt the question. it is just that i do not want to face the inevitable. it is amazing how much these critters work their way into our lives and under our skin.
(ps i finally got a real word for my word verification! woohoo! "mingle".)
oh it is sad to see our pets grow old and decline so.
Happy ninth life, old cat. I have a feeling you had it pretty good for all of them.
ENjoy your time together and gather those sweet memories, too. What a beautiful kitty.
What a beautiful member of your family. It is so very heartbreaking to watch them begin the process of leaving. I trust Opie will tell you when it is time to go and it is always with love that we listen to them.
I'm amused at Opie's method of drinking water. Our Scheherazade prefers to drink out of the bathroom sink, with only the slightest amount of water in the basin. If it's too deep, she won't drink it because her paws get wet.
May the rest of Opie's days be happy.
It's very sad when a beloved pet gets near the end of its time. All you can do is give them the best care you can and make sure they aren't suffering. Enjoy the time you have left with Opie. It sounds like he's had a great life.
He's such a regal looking fellow. What a fine life he has led. I hope that brings you comfort when the final day arrives.
Bart is lord of the just-flushed toilet. He also likes to lap at the just-used floor of the shower. Lisa just waits for the water bowl to be refreshed.
Oh how this post tugged at me heart strings. I've gone through this dance many, many times. It never gets easier.
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